Word of Mouth SegmentsNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Word of Mouth SegmentsSat, 10 Dec 2016 03:32:43 +0000Word of Mouth Segmentshttp://nhpr.org
Virginia PrescottMike Napoli’s three-run double in the first inning of last night’s World Series opener put the Red Sox on the path for an 8 to 1 drubbing of the St. Louis Cardinals at Fenway Park. The cardinals committed three costly errors and lost star right fielder Carlos Beltran who injured himself running into Fenway’s unusually low right field wall -- while making a spectacular catch, that robbed David Ortiz of a grand slam. That is just one of the quirks of Fenway, the old-school ball park that throbbed with sox fans last night. It’s one of few remaining fields in the nation that isn’t named for a bank, or a drink. Fenway has a personality--and a history--today’s sox fans sit in the same spot where even more raucous fans sat in in 1912, when Fenway Park opened its doors. Glenn Stout tells the story of the idiosyncratic park’s construction, christening and enduring charm in the book “Fenway 1912: The Birth of a Ball Park, A Championship Season, and Fenway’s Remarkable First Year”. We spoke toFenway’s First Season http://nhpr.org/post/fenway-s-first-season
802 as http://nhpr.orgThu, 24 Oct 2013 17:04:39 +0000Fenway’s First Season Virginia PrescottRevulsion kept early humans from eating spoiled meat, or snuggling up to people covered with oozing sores. Today, some cultures prize cheeses writhing with maggots, or drink liquor made from fermented saliva. This is not a trick to get you to eeewww but a way to evoke the visceral nature of disgust, which as Rachel Herz found, is powerful enough to convict suspects, incite genocide, and make us writhe and wretch within seconds. Rachel is an instructor at Brown University and expert on the psychology of smell and emotion and the author of Thats Disgusting: Unraveling the Mysteries of Repulsion .Why Are Some Things Considered Disgusting?http://nhpr.org/post/why-are-some-things-considered-disgusting
1931 as http://nhpr.orgMon, 07 Oct 2013 17:56:18 +0000Why Are Some Things Considered Disgusting?Virginia PrescottDetroit’s declaration of bankruptcy this summer opened up the floodgates for stories of its decline. Documentary films, photo essays, and articles reveal a once-proud American city , home to world’s highest-paid workers and a strong middle class, as a shell of its former self. Some residents are finding hope among the abandoned neighborhoods, crumbling municipal buildings, and rusting car factories that made the motor city hum.Urban Farming: A Bright Spot In The Collapse Of A Once Great Cityhttp://nhpr.org/post/urban-farming-bright-spot-collapse-once-great-city
771 as http://nhpr.orgWed, 31 Jul 2013 14:02:14 +0000Urban Farming: A Bright Spot In The Collapse Of A Once Great CityVirginia PrescottSimple, universal, playable, the ball is among the most recognizable artifacts of human culture. It’s also the driver of an estimated five-hundred-billion- dollar- a-year sports industry. Harvard anthropologist John Fox set off on a global adventure and dug into the ancient past to uncover the origins and evolution of our favorite ball games. His book is called The Ball: Discovering the Object of the Game . We discussed the book with John last year when the book was released.Because It's Pretty Hard to Catch a Pyramidhttp://nhpr.org/post/because-its-pretty-hard-catch-pyramid
4394 as http://nhpr.orgTue, 28 May 2013 15:27:35 +0000Because It's Pretty Hard to Catch a PyramidVirginia PrescottWe hear the words honor, duty and sacrifice a lot around Veteran’s Day – and rightly so. What we rarely hear about are the individual, human stories that lead men and women to pick up the mantle of those powerful words and to fight in America’s name. “ Where Soldiers Come From ” follows a pack of close friends from Michigan’s icy Upper Peninsula as they transform from small town teenagers to National Guardsmen fighting in Afghanistan. Check out the trailer for Where Soldiers Come From:Where Soldiers Come Fromhttp://nhpr.org/post/where-soldiers-come
358 as http://nhpr.orgThu, 08 Nov 2012 17:10:41 +0000Where Soldiers Come FromVirginia PrescottAn increasingly common anxiety for freshly-minted undergraduates is finding a job in their field with a decent enough salary to pay off their student loans. For those with new advanced degrees, the stakes are even higher... 2008 figures from The Center for College Affordability and Productivity estimate that 16% of those qualified to be college professors, lawyers, and doctors are working jobs at the high school graduate level. Helping wayward professionals put their highly-trained brains to work, is Jon F. Wilkins , founder of The Ronin Institute an experiment in promoting independent scholarship and providing unaffiliated academics with confidence, funding, and community. We read about his work in an article by Keith OBrien in the Ideas section of The Boston Globe .Off the Beaten Tenure Trackhttp://nhpr.org/post/beaten-tenure-track
6147 as http://nhpr.orgMon, 04 Jun 2012 18:11:57 +0000Off the Beaten Tenure TrackVirginia PrescottRecent dispatches from the trial of Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik have stirred politicians and online groups to urge Norways justice system to re-examine its maximum sentence of twenty-one years, given the severity of the charges. The trial has also prompted an inquisitive eye on Halden, the maximum security prison where Breivik could land if convicted. The bright, well-designed facility has been compared to a boutique hotel. Amelia Gentleman recently visited the maximum security facility and wrote a profile for the Guardian. She joins us now from the Guardians offices in London. Pictures of Halden from The GuardianInside Halden Prisonhttp://nhpr.org/post/inside-halden-prison
5805 as http://nhpr.orgWed, 30 May 2012 15:02:23 +0000Inside Halden PrisonRebecca LavoieIf grandparents paying for potential grandchildren to be put on ice sounds a little strange, how about the emerging legal field of trust and estate rights for frozen embryos, eggs, and other, well biological material? When word of mouth senior producer Rebecca Lavoie read a Bloomberg Business Week article about a Manhattan lawyer representing frozen embryos in trust cases, she went right to the source to find out more. That lawyer, as it turns out, was her brother in law, KMZ Rosenman co-managing partner Joshua Rubenstein . She took him for a walk in New Yorks central park, pulled out her recorder, and asked when frozen embryos first hit his radar as potential clients.My Client, the Frozen Egg http://nhpr.org/post/my-client-frozen-egg
5800 as http://nhpr.orgWed, 30 May 2012 14:30:00 +0000My Client, the Frozen Egg Virginia PrescottWe begin with a new strategy for wanna-be grandparents. Theres a growing trend among women in their thirties and forties to freeze their eggs in many cases, to increase the chances of becoming a mother later in life, after establishing a career, say, or finding the perfect partner. The procedure is still considered experimental, and the cost is staggering. However, doctors are reporting a new wave of underwriters supporting egg-freezing patients, their parents. Elissa Gootman wrote about this story for the New York Times . Eggsurance: Everything Egg FreezingFrozen Grandbabieshttp://nhpr.org/post/frozen-grandbabies
5799 as http://nhpr.orgWed, 30 May 2012 13:57:38 +0000Frozen GrandbabiesVirginia PrescottNot everybody can make white hair and over large glasses look fashionable but then few carry have the flair of 90-year old socialite and now makeup mogul, Iris Apfel. One of the striking subjects of a new book by Ari Seth Cohen called Advanced Style . The book, like the blog which inspired it, puts New York Citys stylish woman past a certain age on parade. Isabel Wilkinson is a fashion and arts reporter for the Daily Beast she sees advanced style as part of a larger trend in a fashion industry no longer hostage to the Waifish Fashionistas in the 16-28 demographic. Producers note: Check this out, even adult diaper maker Depends is on board with their target demographic wearing slightly hipper, more fitted clothing...Style for the Ages (and the Aged!)http://nhpr.org/post/style-ages-and-aged
5312 as http://nhpr.orgTue, 22 May 2012 15:42:11 +0000Style for the Ages (and the Aged!)Taylor QuimbyEvery four years, the world gears up to become rabid, two-week fans of sports wed never otherwise watch those featured in the Summer Olympics, like swimming, gymnastics, even equestrian eventing. For the elite athletes who compete at the Olympic level, however, the games are anything but a quadrennial concern. Theyre the reward for working the hardest, being the best, and increasingly, it seems, having the latest hi-tech gadgetry in your corner. With us to run down some of the more futuristic advances that may influence the medal count at this summers London games is word of mouth producer Taylor Quimby, our regular curator of the quirkier trends bubbling up across pop culture. Sonic Gun High Tech Anti-Doping Lab Mo Farahs Training Regime Vibrating SuitHigh Tech Athletic Supporthttp://nhpr.org/post/high-tech-athletic-support
5308 as http://nhpr.orgTue, 22 May 2012 15:04:50 +0000High Tech Athletic SupportVirginia PrescottThe expansion of forensic databases by US federal agencies. DNA collection of convicted felons is a well- publicized procedure. Recently released documents reveal that the department of homeland security and other federal agencies will be required to collect DNA from any person over the age of fourteen who has been detained -- regardless of criminal activity -- and that plans to include children under 14 are being explored. The documents were released in response to a freedom of information act request by the Electronic Frontier Foundation , the EFFs Jennifer Lynch joins us to talk about government plans for a significant move closer to a national database of citizen DNA profiles.The See All Samplehttp://nhpr.org/post/see-all-sample
5306 as http://nhpr.orgTue, 22 May 2012 14:36:51 +0000The See All SampleSip a glass of Italian wine tonight with dinner. Savor its full-bodied flavor, or its delicate notes of plum or cherries. If you really concentrate, you might detect another subtle but important flavor - equality. Italian women are revolutionizing the way vino is made, promoted and sold. And women in corporate boardrooms might not be a new phenomenon; their entrance in the worlds male-dominated cantinas and vineyards is, especially as theyre making changes that are nothing to sniff at. Nancy Greenleese reports.The Women of Winehttp://nhpr.org/post/women-wine
5243 as http://nhpr.orgMon, 21 May 2012 16:29:38 +0000The Women of WineVirginia PrescottAmong this summers anticipated films is Prometheus , Ridley Scotts prequel to his groundbreaking sci-fi flick, Alien . The plot centers on a crew of inter-galactic explorers among the cast of characters is a humanoid robot, or android, who sounds decidedly more ominous than say, the Jetsons old-model household cleaner, Rosey. Michael Fassbender as the spooky android David in a video released as part of a viral ad campaign for the forthcoming film Prometheus , Fassbenders uncanny performance led us to wonder how current robotic technology compares to science fictions common tropes : for example, the good-robot gone bad, or the android who think hes human. Dennis Cass is a recovering journalist and now science fiction author. He wrote about androids, real and imaginary, for i09.com Creepy Russian RobotRobo-Esoterics http://nhpr.org/post/robo-esoterics
5240 as http://nhpr.orgMon, 21 May 2012 15:52:00 +0000Robo-Esoterics Virginia PrescottWhen Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman hit Broadway and swept the Tonys in 1949, it was a middle-class masterpiece a transformative play that could bring even stoic-factory workers and tough-love fathers to tears. These days, the price of a ticket for the Broadway revival may be as out of reach for the average American family as a pro sports career was for Biff. Lee Siegel is a cultural critic, author of Harvard is Burning, and a contributor to many publications including the New York Times, where he recently wrote the op ed, Death of a Salesmans Dreams .Theatre…NO MORE!http://nhpr.org/post/theatre-no-more
5238 as http://nhpr.orgMon, 21 May 2012 15:25:03 +0000Theatre…NO MORE!Virginia PrescottAmericas war on tourists. Since 9/11, increased security measures and visa restrictions have made travel to the US an increasing hassle. Earlier this month, President Obama announced plans to attract twice as many tourists to America in the next decade. He projected that the initiative would add two-to- three million jobs and result in $250 billion in revenue by the end of 2021. Matthew Yglesias is on board. Hes author of Slates Moneybox column, where he recently wrote about making it easier for foreign visitors to spend their vacation budget on US shores.America the Tourist Un-friendlyhttp://nhpr.org/post/america-tourist-un-friendly
5235 as http://nhpr.orgMon, 21 May 2012 14:57:03 +0000America the Tourist Un-friendlyVirginia PrescottCHARLES WHEELAN , professor at Dartmouth College and the University of Chicago and is author of 10 Things No Commencement Speaker Has Ever Said and Naked Economics, veered off the motivational script when addressing the 2011 class at Dartmouth, telling the graduates your worst days lie ahead. Wheelan on Talk of the Nation Top 10 Most Memorable Graduation Speakers Katie Courics 2010 Commencement Address http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELC_e2QBQMk&feature=player_detailpageWord of ... Advicehttp://nhpr.org/post/word-advice
4897 as http://nhpr.orgWed, 16 May 2012 15:12:52 +0000Word of ... AdviceVirginia PrescottA Soviet news reel shows teary mourners shuffling past the body of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. The Bolshevik leader and chair of the soviet state in its early years died of a he died of an apparent massive stroke in 1924 at age 54. His embalmed corpse still throngs of visitors to his tomb in Moscows Red Square, and was the topic of an annual clinicopathological conference held at the University of Maryland . New York Times science writer Gina Kolata was reported on the findings, a new theory on the cause of Lenins death along with a new suspect. Video of Lenins FuneralThe “Who Done It” of Vladimir Lenin’s Deathhttp://nhpr.org/post/who-done-it-vladimir-lenin-s-death
4892 as http://nhpr.orgWed, 16 May 2012 14:37:59 +0000The “Who Done It” of Vladimir Lenin’s DeathVirginia PrescottAmerica loves amateurs. The country was founded by dilettantes and enlightened rebels. Cities, farms and businesses were seeded by adventurous greenhorns and neophytes. Writer Jack Hitt argues that the DIY spirit that generated untold number of patents and subscriptions to Popular Mechanics drives the countrys success and identity. The popular TV shows The Voice and Project Runway continue a long tradition of discovering and rewarding talent. The Mark Zuckerbergs and Sergey Brins of the world remind us that college dropouts and immigrants are still creating ideas that fuel economies, and our daily lives. Jack Hitt has plenty of credentials as contributing editor to T he New York Times Magazine and This American Life , and author of A Bunch of Amateurs: A Search for the American Character .America the Amateur http://nhpr.org/post/america-amateur
4754 as http://nhpr.orgMon, 14 May 2012 17:05:08 +0000America the Amateur Virginia PrescottFive years ago, the New York Times moved into a gleaming new office tower in mid-town Manhattan. The shimmering structure by Starchitect Renzo Piano was commended for being green and digital-ready. Half a block away, the papers archives could not be more dissimilar. The sub-sub-basement -- affectionately known as the Morgue -- is cramped with hundreds of cabinets, stuffed with twelve million clippings and more than six million photographs from the papers 160-year history. Now, social media fuled nostalgia is adding value to the place where stories go to die. Here with more on the morgue is Jessica Bennett , executive editor at Tumblr , the micro-blogging website that recently launched an editorial arm. http://vimeo.com/41678735Photographed, but not forgotten http://nhpr.org/post/photographed-not-forgotten
4750 as http://nhpr.orgMon, 14 May 2012 16:39:56 +0000Photographed, but not forgotten